Joel Gotkin is a Member in the firm’s St. Louis, Missouri, office.  Joel focuses his practice generally on patent preparation and prosecution, and has broad experience across various technology areas, particularly within mechanical and computer science technologies.  Joel has significant experience with all phases of patent prosecution in the United States, including patent application drafting, responding to Office Actions, and briefing and arguing appeals before the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).  Joel is also a part of the firm’s mentorship program and helps develop communication and patent prosecution skills for new attorneys.

Joel has experience working with both large corporations and individuals.  He works closely with clients to support their unique needs, including cultivating and strengthening their patent portfolios, developing worldwide patenting strategies, preparing noninfringement and invalidity opinions, counseling on patent monetization strategies, and assisting in litigation matters.

Joel is an adjunct professor at Saint Louis University School of Law, where he teaches courses in patent law and application drafting. He also serves as an advisor on various IP competitions, which allows him to stay current on core cases and issues affecting the IP landscape.

Before joining the firm, Joel spent a year at the Max Planck Institute in Munich, Germany, acquiring an LL.M. in intellectual property law, which he regularly puts to use counseling domestic and international clients.  Joel travels often and lectures on various patent topics including software patent eligibility, both for current and prospective clients, and at academic conferences. He also trains clients on application drafting and prior art recognition at the firm’s annual Intellectual Property Training Institute in Alexandria, Virginia.